The Cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council, Cllr. Jerome Scanlan today planted an Oak Tree at Killeline Heights, Newcastle West, Co Limerick to mark the beginning of National Tree Week in County Limerick.
The week-long festival, which is being co-ordinated nationally by the Tree Council of Ireland, is aimed at encouraging members of the public to plant more trees. This year’s theme is “A Feast of Trees” with a particular emphasis on planting trees that provide a food source for humans, birds, bees and other wildlife.
Events marking National Tree Week 2013 will take place countrywide until Sunday, 10th March. Limerick County Council is making saplings and standard native trees available to local community groups at Kilmallock Amenity Centre on Tuesday from 12pm to 5pm and Newcastle West and Mungret Amenity Centres on Wednesday from 12pm to 5pm.
“While the Tree Council promotes awareness of trees all year round, National Tree Week gives us the opportunity to highlight a range of wonderful public woodlands and recreational facilities such as Castletroy Park,” explained Cllr. Jerome Scanlan
The Cathaoirleach added: “I would urge the public to participate in National Tree Week by arranging a litter-pick in their local woodland or by just going for a woodland walk. Community groups across Limerick can also play their part by planting trees in public areas as they enhance and enrich our communities. From the moment they are planted, trees grow in importance, visibility and value as the years pass.”
For further information on National Tree Week, visit www.treecouncil.ie.
-ENDS-
Note to Editor:
- High-resolution images are available from Dave Gaynor Photography on 087-9443377 / dave@limerickphotos.ie
- To arrange an interview please contact Mark Dunphy of Dunphy PR on (086-8534900)
Tree Varieties for Fruit, Birds and Bees
The following are lists of trees, both native and ornamental, that are commonly stocked by garden centres to provide edible fruits as well as suggested trees for planting to make your garden a more attractive food source for birds, bees and other wildlife.
10 Fruit Trees
The following are some of the most popular varieties of fruit trees for planting in orchards and gardens.
• Cooking Apple – popular varieties: Bramley’s Seedling, Grenadier, Howgate Wonder, Lane’s Prince Albert and more
• Dessert Apple – popular varieties: Beauty of Bath, Charles Ross, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Discovery, Elstar, James Grieve, Jonagold, Katy, Laxton’s Superb, Lord Lambourne, Red Devil
• Damson - popular varieties: Merryweather, Shropshire Prune
• Pear - popular varieties: Beurre Hardy, Concorde, Conference, Doyenne du Comice
• Cherry – popular varieties: Morello (cooking variety), Stella (sweet variety)
• Plum – popular varieties: Czar, Victoria, Opal
• Peach –varieties best suited to Irish climate: Amsden, Peregrine
• Fig (Ficus carica) –varieties best suited to Irish climate: Brown Turkey
• Hazelnut (Corylus avellana) – best varieties for quantity: Halls’ Giant, Kentish Cob, Cosford Cob
Quince (Cydonia oblonga) –varieties best suited to Irish climate: Vranja, Lescovacz
10 Trees for Birds
Trees provide food for birds in the form of seeds, buds, nuts, berries or fruits or by supporting a rich variety of insects that are eaten by birds. Many also provide shelter, cover and nesting sites.
• Alnus glutinosa (native alder) – seeds of female catkins are eaten by small birds like siskin
• Betula pendula (native birch) – seeds of summer catkins eaten by small birds
• Crataegus monogyna (native hawthorn) – berries (haws) eaten by many birds
• Fagus sylvatica (beech) – mast is eaten especially by finches
• Ilex aquifolium (native holly) – berries eaten by many birds
• Pinus sylvestris (native Scot’s pine) – seeds from cones eaten by finches, siskins and other small birds
• Quercus robur (native pedunculate oak) and Quercus petraea (native sessile oak) – richest insect supporting tree. Acorns eaten by pigeons and jays.
• Sambucus nigra (native elder) – berries eaten by many birds especially blackbirds
• Sorbus aucuparia and cultivars (native mountain ash or rowan) and Sorbus aria and cultivars (native whitebeam) – the berries are a favourite with blackbirds and thrushes
• Taxus baccata (native yew) – red fruits, poisonous to humans, are eaten especially by thrushes
10 Trees for Bees
The following trees provide pollen and/or nectar for bees and other pollinating insects:
• Acer pseudoplatanus (sycamore) – valuable nectar source
• Aesculus hippocastanum (horsechestnut) – source of nectar and pollen
• Alnus glutinosa (native alder) – catkins are a good early source of pollen
• Corylus avellana (native hazel) – early catkins are a valuable source of pollen
• Crataegus monogyna (native hawthorn) – profuse nectar producer
• Malus species and hybrids. (crab apple) - source of nectar and pollen. Many named varieties such as Evereste, Golden Hornet, John Downie, Profusion, Royalty, Scarlett
• Prunus padus (native bird cherry) and Prunus avium (native wild cherry) – sources of nectar and pollen
• Salix species (willows) – catkins are a good source of early pollen
• Sorbus aucuparia and cultivars (native mountain ash or rowan) – source of nectar and pollen
• Tilia species (lime) – flowers supply large quantities of nectar
The week-long festival, which is being co-ordinated nationally by the Tree Council of Ireland, is aimed at encouraging members of the public to plant more trees. This year’s theme is “A Feast of Trees” with a particular emphasis on planting trees that provide a food source for humans, birds, bees and other wildlife.
Events marking National Tree Week 2013 will take place countrywide until Sunday, 10th March. Limerick County Council is making saplings and standard native trees available to local community groups at Kilmallock Amenity Centre on Tuesday from 12pm to 5pm and Newcastle West and Mungret Amenity Centres on Wednesday from 12pm to 5pm.
“While the Tree Council promotes awareness of trees all year round, National Tree Week gives us the opportunity to highlight a range of wonderful public woodlands and recreational facilities such as Castletroy Park,” explained Cllr. Jerome Scanlan
The Cathaoirleach added: “I would urge the public to participate in National Tree Week by arranging a litter-pick in their local woodland or by just going for a woodland walk. Community groups across Limerick can also play their part by planting trees in public areas as they enhance and enrich our communities. From the moment they are planted, trees grow in importance, visibility and value as the years pass.”
For further information on National Tree Week, visit www.treecouncil.ie.
-ENDS-
Note to Editor:
- High-resolution images are available from Dave Gaynor Photography on 087-9443377 / dave@limerickphotos.ie
- To arrange an interview please contact Mark Dunphy of Dunphy PR on (086-8534900)
Tree Varieties for Fruit, Birds and Bees
The following are lists of trees, both native and ornamental, that are commonly stocked by garden centres to provide edible fruits as well as suggested trees for planting to make your garden a more attractive food source for birds, bees and other wildlife.
10 Fruit Trees
The following are some of the most popular varieties of fruit trees for planting in orchards and gardens.
• Cooking Apple – popular varieties: Bramley’s Seedling, Grenadier, Howgate Wonder, Lane’s Prince Albert and more
• Dessert Apple – popular varieties: Beauty of Bath, Charles Ross, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Discovery, Elstar, James Grieve, Jonagold, Katy, Laxton’s Superb, Lord Lambourne, Red Devil
• Damson - popular varieties: Merryweather, Shropshire Prune
• Pear - popular varieties: Beurre Hardy, Concorde, Conference, Doyenne du Comice
• Cherry – popular varieties: Morello (cooking variety), Stella (sweet variety)
• Plum – popular varieties: Czar, Victoria, Opal
• Peach –varieties best suited to Irish climate: Amsden, Peregrine
• Fig (Ficus carica) –varieties best suited to Irish climate: Brown Turkey
• Hazelnut (Corylus avellana) – best varieties for quantity: Halls’ Giant, Kentish Cob, Cosford Cob
Quince (Cydonia oblonga) –varieties best suited to Irish climate: Vranja, Lescovacz
10 Trees for Birds
Trees provide food for birds in the form of seeds, buds, nuts, berries or fruits or by supporting a rich variety of insects that are eaten by birds. Many also provide shelter, cover and nesting sites.
• Alnus glutinosa (native alder) – seeds of female catkins are eaten by small birds like siskin
• Betula pendula (native birch) – seeds of summer catkins eaten by small birds
• Crataegus monogyna (native hawthorn) – berries (haws) eaten by many birds
• Fagus sylvatica (beech) – mast is eaten especially by finches
• Ilex aquifolium (native holly) – berries eaten by many birds
• Pinus sylvestris (native Scot’s pine) – seeds from cones eaten by finches, siskins and other small birds
• Quercus robur (native pedunculate oak) and Quercus petraea (native sessile oak) – richest insect supporting tree. Acorns eaten by pigeons and jays.
• Sambucus nigra (native elder) – berries eaten by many birds especially blackbirds
• Sorbus aucuparia and cultivars (native mountain ash or rowan) and Sorbus aria and cultivars (native whitebeam) – the berries are a favourite with blackbirds and thrushes
• Taxus baccata (native yew) – red fruits, poisonous to humans, are eaten especially by thrushes
10 Trees for Bees
The following trees provide pollen and/or nectar for bees and other pollinating insects:
• Acer pseudoplatanus (sycamore) – valuable nectar source
• Aesculus hippocastanum (horsechestnut) – source of nectar and pollen
• Alnus glutinosa (native alder) – catkins are a good early source of pollen
• Corylus avellana (native hazel) – early catkins are a valuable source of pollen
• Crataegus monogyna (native hawthorn) – profuse nectar producer
• Malus species and hybrids. (crab apple) - source of nectar and pollen. Many named varieties such as Evereste, Golden Hornet, John Downie, Profusion, Royalty, Scarlett
• Prunus padus (native bird cherry) and Prunus avium (native wild cherry) – sources of nectar and pollen
• Salix species (willows) – catkins are a good source of early pollen
• Sorbus aucuparia and cultivars (native mountain ash or rowan) – source of nectar and pollen
• Tilia species (lime) – flowers supply large quantities of nectar
